Objectives:

Upon completion of the Flow Cytometry Crossmatch (FCXM) module, the reader should understand:

• The basic procedures and materials required to perform a FCXM of donor cells for the purpose of detecting circulating donor-specific antibody in pre- and post-transplant patients;
• The different kinds of flow cytometer data used to interpret FCXM;
• The effects of different therapeutic agents, cell preparation methods and reagents on the FCXM assay;
• Relative nature of the terms “positive FCXM” and “negative FCXM”; and
• How to recognize and resolve problems encountered when performing the assay.